News: Performance Management
Training 'top priority for travel-industry jobseekers'
14 October 2008
Over 90 per cent of jobseekers in the travel industry are keen to work with an employer who offers adequate training and development opportunities, it has emerged.
A study conducted by the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) and sector skills council People 1st also revealed that under half of employers in the industry currently facilitate annual training for all their staff.
Regardless of the economic climate, half of the 300 businesses questioned said they anticipate an increase in their training budgets over the next five years.
Improving customer service, boosting efficiency and generating new business were the top three reasons cited.
"This research demonstrates the direct link between investing in staff training and ongoing professional development and increasing staff motivation, profitability and retention," said Vicki Wolf, Abta's education liaison executive.
People 1st chief executive Brian Wisdom added that the findings show training's "clear commercial benefits", as well as underlining the importance to employees and jobseekers of managers' commitment to their ongoing professional development.
Further training-themed research unveiled at last month's Advantage 2008 travel delegation drew employers' attention to the relevance of selling and negotiating training.
Travel Weekly's study suggested two out of every three business travel agents currently consider their sector to be lacking in both sales and customer care skills.
